Tours Travel

Truly for Justice and Honour: Memoirs of an Ambassador from Nigeria and Biafra

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A tribute to Professor Austine SO Okwu at age 92: a look at how a diplomat who signed up to serve his country ended up serving his people. From a review of his book, In Truth for Justice and Honor: A Memoir of a Nigerian-Biafra Ambassador.

Part 1

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the British were tired of ruling Nigeria. For the government, they had divided the country into regions, provinces, and divisions. As the date of his departure approached there was a long list of services to deliver to the locals.

Ahoada’s interview

In 1958, Austine SO was one of several young men who applied for a senior service position. As she sat down to fill out the job application form, she thought about what the fortune teller had predicted about him. How in November, or perhaps December, 1924, he would not descend from the womb until his relatives, vehemently opposed to British-type education, made an exception and promised divinity that he would be allowed to follow in the footsteps of the whites . , and he sits at school.

Weeks passed and some applicants, including Austine, were invited to Enugu, in eastern Nigeria, to face a civil service commission headed by Mr. Felix Iheanacho.

‘Indicate your name, date of birth and place of origin,’ asked the main interviewer.

‘Sir, I am Austine Okwu, born in November, perhaps December 1924, to Egbu Owerri.

‘Young man, make up your mind, pick a month and a date,’ said another interviewer.

‘Birth registration didn’t exist when I was born, and my parents didn’t go to school.’ Not unusual considering the time, and the interrogation proceeded.

‘How can you help maintain law and order in the division?’

SO approached the edge of the wooden chair where he was sitting, supported both shoulders and with wide eyes said: ‘The problem is twofold. First, good policies are often turned bad by their inhumane executions. Second, even bad policies could be turned into good ones through human interpretation and implementation to help the community. The collective welfare of the governed,’ he continued, ‘is the most important reason for governance.’

Swept out of his seat by such a spontaneous response, the chair circled the table. ‘Shiny!’ he said he and hugged SO

After three months of mentoring that included a ten-day near-death experience at the Man-of-War Bay training camp in Cameroon, where Austine nearly drowned when he tried to touch the bottom of a bay of the Atlantic Ocean, was assigned to work as an officer in the Ahoada division, under Tony St. Ledger.

Suddenly, fortune followed him in the form of a house in an area reserved only for European expats. He was also given a butler and a medium-sized car suitable for a medium-sized garage. Feeling accomplished, SO married Beatrice Chuke from Obosi.

Drowned Platform

Ahoada catapulted Austine into full public service in the diverse Igbo community. At the behest of the colonial administrators, Austine oversees the collection of taxes, the maintenance of law and order, the supervision of elections, and the review and adjudication of public petitions.

Everyone took notice when the new assistant division officer resolved a dispute over leadership issues between the division officer, Tony St. Ledger, and Mpi, an uncompromising division chief with strong Igbo values. As a result of this accomplishment, Tony felt at home with Austin and visited him frequently.

The day Tony St. Ledger visited

One day, when the Owerri sun had begun to decline and families were hurrying to overcome the approaching darkness, there was a knock at the door.

“Honey, someone is knocking on the front door,” Austin told Beatrice.

A tall, agile butler, eavesdropping, hurried to open the door and was out of sight again.

“Please have a seat, Mr. St. Ledger,” Beatrice said as a white and tan face entered the sitting room.

Sitting across from the dining room table, the division officer and Austine chatted and laughed.

‘Did you see what’s in the recent Nigerian Gazette?’ Tony asked.

The agile Butler resurfaced, placed a cold beer, a glass, and a rabbit-head opener in front of Tony, then docked in the kitchen and began plucking the birds.

“No,” Austine answered, raising her eyebrows in pleasant surprise.

‘The Federal Government of Nigeria is looking for Foreign Service Officers for the diplomatic service, and I think you are a good fit for the job. I’ll make the calls on your behalf. She poured the last drop of beer into her mouth and leaned back against the meat.

Excited, Austine got up, ran to the fridge and ordered a bottle of beer for himself and another bottle of stout for Tony.

True to his promise, Tony made calls and garnered the support of many Igbo kingmakers, including Chief Jerome Udoji, then Secretary of Eastern Nigeria. All SO agreed was to go to Lagos, to work with the Federal Government in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The trip to Lagos, Nigeria

The wisdom of the deity had come true. At the local barbershop, SO got a haircut, with a side rail to the left. On the morning before leaving for Lagos, family members gathered to see him off.

“When a fish matures on the head, it crosses the river to the ocean,” said James Osuji, an uncle. ‘Like Moses and Abraham, who led the Jews, our ancestors will break down all obstacles in their path,’ declared Lawrence, an older brother. And may you never forget Ndigbo, your people.

The next day, Austine packed a leather box and traveled to Lagos, where a federal task force awaited his arrival.

His interview in Lagos was brief and intense, as was his stay. After the first question, it was clear to him that the capital city of Lagos was not ready for another Igbo personality willing to serve his homeland.

‘What made you leave the Ahoada Division and the Eastern region?’ asked the first interrogator.

‘Serve the country abroad with distinction,’ he replied.

Aren’t you just another ambitious Igboman trying to take over Nigeria?

Sweat broke out on his forehead as his hand moved to adjust his gray bow tie. He who endured the Man-of-War Bay training will not succumb to hostility, SO swore in her mind.

“Done,” said the chairman of the federal task force, Alhaji Sule Katagum, with a wave of his left hand. Unsure of the outcome of the interview, Austine went home and waited.

Many days later, the news broke, the federal civil service commission had recommended SO to the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Title: First Secretary and Chief Chancellor of the High Commission of Nigeria. Orientation: 3 weeks. Destination: Ghana

September 1961

In September 1961, SO boarded a flight and left for Ghana, his host country, led by an ambitious Nkrumah, a Pan-Africanist, who dreamed of a day when he would not only rule his enclave, but also Nigeria and perhaps Africa.

Austine not only survived, but enjoyed the turmoil of Ghanaian politics. Every opportunity for him became an opportunity to show Nigeria to the world.

Meanwhile, back home, the main ethnic groups, the Igbo in the east, the Hausa in the north and the Yoruba in the west were locked in mortal combat, an atmosphere that disintegrated into civil war in 1967. .

Arts Entertainments

Sailing through the interior of Ireland for a magical holiday

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Inland Ireland cruises are a very popular family and/or friends holiday. There are numerous rivers, lakes and canals from which to explore the beauty of Ireland’s waterways and countryside. It is a much safer and cheaper option than offshore sailing for the novice sailor and presents great opportunities to meet people along the route. By far the most popular is the Shannon River Cruise, which can be taken in different segments or all in one as part of a grand tour of Ireland’s central spine. However, many opt for the northern half on a holiday break and do the other at a follow-up a year later on the southern half of Shannon.

The North Shannon is considered to be the liveliest section of the river. There are many attractive little towns and villages on your route, with Carrick on Shannon being the focal point. Even the small towns have good moorings and facilities. In the section you will come across beautiful Lough Key, one of the most picturesque areas of Shannon reached via a meandering river and (overpowered) lock. Rockingham Forest Park surrounds it and climbing the tower gives you spectacular views of the lake. Boyle is the nearest town with many pubs and restaurants for an evening of entertainment. Another option is to go to Lough Allen along a narrow channel and through the town of Drumshanbo. The most attractive feature of the northern route is the fact that you can access Lough Erne via Leitrim via the Shannon-Erne Waterway, a link that opened in 1996.

Traveling south from Carrick on Shannon you will pass through the Jamestown Canal, built to bypass Jamestown and Drumsna. Further south is the pretty little town of Dromod, which is well worth a stop, as is the next town, Rooskey, which has some nice amenities to offer. At the entrance to Lough Ree, Lanesborough in County Longford is the next main port of call. Lough Ree is the second largest loch on the River Shannon and this allows you a wide variety of docking places. You can head to Portrunny with a new and larger port, or head south to Glassan with its fabulous lakeside golf course which is a popular overnight stop. Plus, there’s the renowned and award-winning Wineport Restaurant for gourmet dining to round out the day in style. On the opposite side of the loch is Hodson Bay, home to a modern hotel and facilities and home to the Athlone golf course. You will then arrive in Ireland’s most central city, Athlone, the largest city on the River Shannon with shops, restaurants, hotels, pubs, cinemas, sports facilities and much more. This place is worth spending a day stopping at such are the attractions.

Heading further south, the small town of Banagher in County Offaly is ideally situated for cruising down the Shannon south from Athlone, and is an excellent starting point for cruising the River Shannon’s largest loch, Lough Derg. This lake presents a breathtaking view of mountains rolling down to the water and quaint towns like Garrykennedy, Mountshannon and Terryglass dotted along its shores. On the west side of the lake, you can take the small winding Scarriff River to the town of Scarriff. The trip down the tree-lined river with branches hanging over the water is an experience in itself, but it can be dangerous and unnerving for first-time boaters. Lough Derg is a vast, wide expanse of open water and currents and winds can be unpredictable and change quickly. You have to be careful in this section of the trip and in case of any doubt or fear, stay close to the coast.

The southernmost point of the Shannon is the twin towns of Killaloe and Ballina. This is where the river navigation stops as the Shannon proceeds on its journey towards Limerick City and out to the ocean through the Shannon Estuary. Killaloe and Ballina are small but prosperous and elegant towns with a wide variety of pubs and some first-class dining experiences.

Depending on who you hire your cruise from, there will be different final docking points. Most operators will allow you to be dropped off at a different point than where you started if you wish, but a better idea is to return to your starting point and explore different attractions that you would have missed on the way out. One of these great attractions is the site of Clonmacnoise Monastery founded by Saint Ciaran in the mid-6th century on the eastern bank of the River Shannon. The site includes the ruins of a cathedral, seven churches, two round towers, three high crosses and the largest collection of Early Christian tombstones in Europe and is the most popular stopping point on the southern route of the Shannon.

For those who are navigating rivers and lakes for the first time, the rental company will give them the proper instruction and safety instructions. Navigating the locks is the trickiest part of the journey, but since most of them are manned, this shouldn’t present a problem. The ones that aren’t have automatic feeding, which makes the process easier than anticipated.

For a vacation with a difference, inland cruises are hard to beat and chances are the desire to flow from the experience is to want to come back again.

Technology

Rent A Boat – Some Suggestions For The Benefit Of Tourists

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There are several advantages to renting a boat. One can enjoy carefree time on the water without having to think about down payment or monthly boat loan. There are no headaches for seasonal maintenance and also to dock the boat properly so that it can be preserved. Charter a boat and simply enjoy all the positive aspects of life associated with boating holidays. Sometimes the tow vehicle is also not necessary to navigate. It is one of the best, funniest, most enthusiastic and sometimes innovative ways to discover a new place at a minimum cost.

The cost of traveling on a boat is half of what you will incur if you own a boat. Only a considerable amount of money can make for a fantastic boat vacation. Even with all the fuel and skipper, it’s cheaper than keeping a ship in port. Also, most boat rental agencies offer discounts on multi-day boat rentals. This is especially true during the low season. Tourists really get a lot. Therefore, chartering boats during these periods will bring fantastic deals for boat travelers.

However, making a truly memorable sailing vacation will require some preparation. Here are some suggestions for those who are planning a boat trip for their next vacation.

  • Boat rental agency search- Finding a boat rental agency is the first step to enjoying a fantastic boat vacation. Searching the web for this purpose is the best you can do. Search the Internet for boat rentals and a particular destination lake or region. The search engine will give you results. After getting the contact number from the website, calling them at the office is best. This will help confirm the existence of the company and provide an opportunity to talk to them about their facility. Even the local marina may have some information about the fleet or they may have a fleet of their own to cater to tourists.

  • The size and type of boat- This is the second most important point when renting a boat. Unless you know the type of boat you want to rent, there is no point in renting. The size largely depends on the waterway and of course the local rental agencies. There are different types of boats, from small to larger yachts that can be rented. Care must be taken when choosing after determining the number of traveling heads. There are also fishing boats for those who love fishing. One simply has to communicate with the company properly to find the best possible match.

  • Getting to and from the ship- There is no point in renting a boat unless you know the round trip points of the boat. There is a high probability that the boat owner will bring a non-motorized boat to the traveler. After all, the boat will not be equipped for the trip in the first place. If the boat is not motorized, then it must be moored at a marina dock. Inquire about that.

  • Leasing contract- Each rental company has some rules and regulations that have been established according to the laws established by the government on how to rent and what are the essentials before renting. The most important thing is that these rules vary and therefore it is necessary to read them carefully before renting a boat. In addition, the normal wear and tear of the boat is the company’s problem; however, serious damage or dirt on the boat is not their problem, it is the traveler’s responsibility. In addition, it is advisable to know the cancellations forced by the weather.

  • Insurance Matters- The rental agency’s liability coverage should be listed in the contract signed by both parties. Ending up signing the wrong contract will cost you a lot of money. You should check the document carefully and properly before signing the agreement. If you are unsure about the provisions, ask your attorney to review them.

  • Vessel check- Before accepting the boat keys, they should be checked for dents, scratches, cracks, stains and even damage to the struts. Sometimes the accessories are loose and even broken. Basically, searching for all of this will make you less responsible for the rental agency’s handling of the money. Make sure any previous damage is included in the contract to avoid being blamed later on.

  • Security Team and Titled Skipper- Make sure all safety equipment is stowed on the ship before you set sail. The life jacket is a must while sailing a boat, especially in uncharted waters. Having a qualified employer is equally important. The age restriction varies by state. Ask the rental agency about their rules and be careful not to confuse them. While most companies almost make you swear that you have some experience with boats, there are others that will want to see your certificates. There are others who give free instructions before embarking on the journey.